Category Archives: Christmas through Lowell

Daily insights

Day 16 of National Novel Writing Month

Staying on target as Christmas through Lowell kicks off the season

By Emma Palova

EW Emma’s Writings

Lowell, MI – I can’t say whether the writing is getting any easier or any harder as I move along toward the 50K goal by the end of November. It is a lot like a roller coaster slowly climbing up the first hill, then dropping down and swerving into a sharp curve, before it climbs up again. It changes quickly its speed.

Have I done anything like this before? That is write daily a certain quota of words to stay on target. The answer is a definite no. Even though, while looking at the #nanowrimo graph and the average words per day written, I realized that I pretty much average six pages a day, regardless. I just didn’t know about it.

The new “Secrets” (c) 2018 Emma Palova anthology was born long before I started writing it on Nov. 1, 2018. But, whithout putting the words down, it’s just that; words and ideas in your head and imagination.

However, getting the words out in front of the public can be a scary deal too.

“The scariest moment is before I start to write,” said horror master Stephen King.

I couldn’t agree more and this is probably the main reason why most wannabe authors procrastinate. We’re all afraid of the result. The only medicine for that is: Write as much as you can every day without thinking about the result; edit later.

That’s my major takeaway from the #nanowrimo project 2018.

Book cover for “Secrets” aka the Face of Gossip.

Considering that I still have to live ordinary life other than the creative one, I am looking forward to covering this year’s “Christmas through Lowell” tour after taking a break from it for a few years. Stay tuned for the weekend coverage for the Lowell Ledger on newstands on Nov. 21, 2018.

Excerpts from “Secrets in Ink”

Well,the court hearing was set for Friday after Thanksgiving at the district court.

“That’s
going to be a hell of a Black Friday,” said AJ. “For you, Luke. I’ll be near a
phone if you need help.”

Luke
had heard of stories of christening by fire, but this exceeded his
expectations.

“I’ve
never covered a court story before,” Luke said. “I’ve been to a jury duty,
though.”

“That’s
good enough. There’s always the first time,” said AJ. “The reporting business
isn’t as glorious as you thought, ha? You will always come across issues such
as the ‘homos’, you’d rather not talk about. It doesn’t mean they don’t exist.”

Luke
was nervous when he sat near the front on the left side of the courtroom
imagining windows, where they did not exist. He felt the old claustrophobia
magnified on himself. There was no escaping from this closed courtroom.

The
chiropractor was already seated up front without an attorney. It was the first
time, Luke had heard the chiropractor’s name spoken out loud by the judge.

“I
don’t like to see you Mr. Brown without representation,” said the judge known
for her bias toward men. “You do realize that what you have done is pretty
serious.”

Thejudge was also a stand-up comedian, performing her acts for the localcharities. She was known to be on the other side of Mr. Brown’s personalsexuality problem. Men hated her for the sexual gender bias. The judge favoredwomen, no matter what they had done.

Lowell, MI-Tonight we will be setting up for a whole new different adventure. We decided to team up with my daughter-in-law Maranda with our new ventures: my book “Shifting Sands Short Stories” and her entertainment innovation for kids, Little Dreamers Sleepovers. What is probably most interesting is the location. We will be at venue no. 1 on the greater Christmas through Lowell tour. And that is the Red Barn Market. This is the 26th year for the tour.

We will actually be located inside a renovated barn with space heaters. There will be a total of 20 plus vendors ranging from Paisley Productions to wood signs. The Red Barn Market is a popular hangout spot for all ages. I live 2.3 miles from it. We’re practically Neighbors. For a complete list of vendors go to Red Barn Market- Ice Cream and Fresh Produce facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/redbarnmkt/

There will also be another author Glad Fletcher with memoir “My Garden of Stones.”

There are close to 100 stops on the tour that attracts people from all over Michigan. I personally like the variety of vendors and businesses on the tour. This includes the city of Lowell and outlaying areas in both townships.

Not your regular kids’ entertainment

Maranda’s Little Dreamers Sleepovers provides sleepover packages complete with a tent, air mattress, fitted sheet, blanket, bunting, fairy lights and a bed tray. Each child will get a sleepover favor.

Lowell, MI – Local author Emma Palova will have a book signing of Shifting Sands Short Stories at the Red Barn Market during the annual Christmas through Lowell tour from Nov. 17 to Nov. 19.

Bring your locally purchased book available at Schuler Books & Music in Grand Rapids or Lansing. The book is also available on Amazon in two formats: Kindle for $7.99 and paperback for $11.99.

Palova divides the stories in the book into three circles: early immigration years, retail and journalism. The stories feature characters such as professor Martin Duggan in “The Temptation of Martin Duggan” based on the family immigration saga from former Czechoslovakia.

Book signing in downtown Lowell.

The hometown politics circle from journalism depicts ruthless supervisor Ned in the “Iron Horse” and charismatic Lisa in “Foxy.” The retail circle of stories highlights the retail madness during the “orange balloon clearance” in the “Orange Nights.” Rachel suffers under the yoke of the Midwest store routine.

Apple orchards served as a source of inspiration for “Danillo,” a story about a Mexican immigrant who works at the apple orchards.

The Red Barn Market is no. 1 location on the Greater Lowell map of the Christmas tour located at 3550 Alden Nash.

“I have deep ties to the Red Barn Market,” said Palova. “I’ve watched them grow over the last three years. We’re practically Neighbors. Red Barn and the surrounding Kropf apple orchards also inspire my work.”

The Red Barn Market has inspired one of the stories in Palova’s Book 2: Shifting Sands Short Stories: Secrets.

Annually, the tour attracts hundreds of visitors from far and near.

“It is our busiest event,” said general manager Barb Kropf-Roth.

The Trademark of the Christmas event are various vendors with unique wares & services such as the brand new Hastings-based “Little Dreamers Sleepovers.”

Lowell, MI- ‘Tis the season to be merry, and to shop merrily. After all the wedding turmoil, I find it hard to immerse myself into the holiday spirit or to go back to a full writing, design and marketing schedule.

With a full house, for the last 17 days, I had to steal time to write about the International Wedding and to post other writers’ stories like Sarah Harmon’s Pumpkin 5K run.

The great pumpkin ride at Klackle Orcards

But, on the flip side, I found out that I would not be able to live without writing. There is so much value in the written word. Writing is such a powerful tool not only to express oneself, share information, facts and communication, but it is also a means of escaping the real world.

Call it a reprieve, if you will. It helps organize thoughts and different experiences.

Christmas through Lowell attracts hundreds

Grand Volute is still accepting vendors for Christmas through Lowell

Our EW team plans to cover Christmas activities throughout the area such as the 23rd Christmas through Lowell from Nov. 14 through Nov. 16. The tour is one of my favorites as people open their decorated homes to the public and offer Christmas gifts and nick knacks, along with cookies and cider. The tour features more than 50 houses, businesses and organizations from Alto, Lowell to Vergennes Township. More than 300 vendors will be offering their crafts and arts.

River Edge B&B still accepts vendors for Christmas through Lowell

The Christmas tour attracts people from all over Michigan.

There are still locations willing to add more vendors such as the Red Barn Market, Riveredge Gathering Place and B&B, Grand Volute Ballrooms and many more. For a complete list go to www.christmasthroughlowell.org

New vendors are Gless Board, Lowell Women of the Moose, Our House to your House, Small Town Sentiment, Riveredge B&B and Red Barn Market.

The great gulash dispute

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I track the events and stories that have led up to my penning of the family immigration saga "Greenwich Meridian where East meets West" on this site.
I also plan to write a screenplay based on the memoir. I firmly believe in turning a piece of literature into a motion picture for all to enjoy.

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